Sacramento, California to Tijuana
Tijuana dentists, coming from Sacramento
Flying is the sensible option. Fly into San Diego, cross the same day, and stay overnight if the work is surgical.
Distance
About 500 miles to San Diego
Travel time
8 hours or more by road
Coming back
Budget a full day for travel on each end.
Distances and times are approximate and change with traffic and with the wait at the crossing. Check the CBP border wait times page on the morning you travel.
Planning the trip
The thing that decides whether this is worth it is not the price of the procedure, it is how many trips the treatment needs. An implant is normally two visits several months apart. Orthodontics can be many more. Ask for the number of in-person visits in writing before you commit, and read how the crossing works before your first one.
Questions patients actually ask
How long does it take to get to a dentist in Tijuana from Sacramento?
About 500 miles to San Diego. 8 hours or more by road. Flying is the sensible option. Fly into San Diego, cross the same day, and stay overnight if the work is surgical.
Do I need a passport?
To come back into the United States, yes. A US passport, passport card, or an enhanced driver's licence from a state that issues them. Walking into Mexico is easy; the document you need is for the return leg.
How long is the wait coming back?
Budget a full day for travel on each end. Pedestrian and vehicle lanes move at completely different speeds, which is why most patients park on the US side and walk.
Can I drive home the same day after treatment?
After a cleaning or a filling, yes. After surgery with sedation, no: you need someone else to drive, and for anything involving the upper jaw ask the dentist about flying before you book a flight home.